Just a little idea I had cos I thought young Morgana, Arthur and Gwen would be really cute. It probably won't end up being that long, but please let me know what you think.
Falling from Grace
Chapter 1: ~A Forbidden Friendship
"I hate you Arthur Pendragon!" A small girl with raven black hair cascading like a waterfall down her back screamed as she picked herself up, her usually pale face tinted pink with rage. She threw her wooden sword to the floor and ran off, leaving a small boy with messy blonde hair looking stunned.
"It was just a joke." He muttered. "Morgana, wait!" He called after her, but she was long gone, swallowed by the bustling crowd in the grounds of Camelot. Anger rose up in the girl as she stormed off. She really hated Arthur sometimes. He could be so immature. Why didn't he get that shoving someone in horse dung to win a sword fight wasn't funny?
She was so submerged in her anger that she didn't notice another girl of her age running in front of her. Both the girls toppled to the ground in a heap.
"Sorry." The girl Morgana ran into muttered, then she looked at her, and blushed. "I'm really sorry, your majesty, I just wasn't looking where I was going and..." She trailed off. Morgana smiled slightly.
"Don't worry about it." She replied, brushing away the dirt on her trousers, revealing a small rip and graze below it.
"You're bleeding." The girl said, sounding scared. "I am so so sorry."
"Don't worry about it." Morgana repeated. "Gaius, the court physician will see to it." She replied.
"See to what?" Morgana spun around and saw the familiar old man in front of her.
"Oh Gaius, good morning." She smiled.
"Good morning your majesty, now what do you need to see me about?" He asked, bending down to her height.
"Oh, I just tripped and I've grazed my knee, it's nothing life threatening." She replied, showing him her injured knee. He glanced at it.
"I'm sure it'll be fine. Just make sure you don't get any dirt in. It'll just be a bit painful when you're washing for the next couple of days." He stood up to his normal height. "I expect I'll see you this evening when you collect your sleeping draught." He said. Morgana nodded.
"Thank you Gaius." She smiled as he left. She turned back to the girl she had run into and looked at her properly for the first time. She had brown curly hair that rested at her shoulders and her eyes were a deep brown. "It was my fault. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Oh no, your dress is ripped." Morgana said, looking at the tear on the girl's sleeve. "I'll get someone at the castle to sew it for you if you want."
"You're too kind." She smiled.
"It's nothing." Morgana grinned back. "It was my fault. What's your name anyway?" She asked.
"Guinevere." She replied. "Everyone called me Gwen though."
"Gwen." Morgana repeated, in deep thought. "I don't suppose you have a brother who trains with Arthur, do you? Called Elyan, something like that. You remind me of him a little." Gwen nodded.
"Yes, he wants to become a knight when he's older." She replied, before sighing.
"What?" Morgana asked her.
"I just wish I could learn to fight like he does." Gwen explained. "He gets to learn how to fight and defend himself while I'm stuck here sewing and helping my mum with the cooking." Morgana rolled her eyes.
"I know. I love training with Arthur," She stopped here. "Well most of the time, when he's not too cocky, which is pretty much never, but anyway. I just miss the company of girls when I'm fighting. Uther only lets me train because I'm his ward and I might need to be able to defend myself in the future."
"Morgana, there you are!" The sandy haired boy shouted, running over to them. Morgana's face turned stony when she saw who it was. "Why are you talking to this peasant girl?" He asked, seeing Gwen and turning his nose up in disgust. Gwen looked down at her feet, blushing slightly. Morgana turned on Arthur savagely.
"This 'peasant girl' will be one of your people when you are king and you should treat them as such." She retorted angrily. "And as to why I am talking to her, she is my friend." Gwen fiddled with a curl of her hair in front of her face awkwardly, slightly in awe that Morgana dared to talk to the future king as she did and that she was calling her her friend.
"Your friend?" Arthur snorted. "I bet you've only just met her."
"Well at least she hasn't tried to shove me in horse dung." Morgana replied haughtily, turning back to Gwen. "Do you want to come up to the castle so we can get your dress sewed up?"
"I can do it myself." Gwen murmured quietly, wanting to avoid watching Morgana and Arthur arguing anymore.
"I insist." Morgana smiled, grabbing Gwenare you?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust.
's arm and dragging her along. Arthur ran after her.
"You aren't taking her into the castle "Yes, why is it an issue?" Morgana asked sarcastically.
"I don't want to be near a peasant." Arthur replied.
"It's fine, honestly, I can fix it myself." Gwen told her quickly.
"No, don't worry about him. He just enjoys lording his position over everyone. He forgets that he's not king yet." Morgana turned to her, speaking as if Arthur wasn't there.
"If you take her up to the castle, I'm going to tell father." Arthur smirked, thinking he had cornered her. Morgana's eyes gleamed angrily.
"And if you tell Uther then I might let it slip that it was you who let all the horses out of the stable the other day." Arthur's face darkened with anger.
"Just stay away from me." Then he turned away and walked off.
"You shouldn't have." Gwen said as Morgana led her towards the castle. "He's right. We can never be friends. You are the king's ward and I," She sighed. "I am just a peasant as he said."
"I don't care." Morgana smiled. "I've only just met you and I prefer you to all the girls of noble blood that Uther has had play with me."
"Thank you, erm. Your majesty." Gwen replied awkwardly.
"Call me Morgana." Morgana slipped her pale white hand into Gwen's bony one and they ran through the castle doors together.
